The word futon is actually Japanese and is the word for the original style of mattress that usually consisted of cushioned quilts and mattresses which were put on the floor of the room that a family would sleep in. The actual benefit of this sort of mattress was the fact that there was the possibility that it could be easily folded up during the daytime so that the sleeping area could be used for other things.

The increasing prices of real estate is effectively shrinking home space as more and more home buyers are opting to get smaller homes that will fit better to their financial capacities. A consequence to this is that, since floor spaces are becoming smaller, home owners have become more practical in their choices of living room furnishings.